Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method

Abstract

When there is a possibility of collision between a host vehicle and objects positioned in a detection region in front of the host vehicle, an ECU implements collision avoidance control for preventing the host vehicle from colliding with an object. The ECU detects the objects positioned in the detection region and judges whether, among the detected objects, there is an object that the host vehicle has overtaken and that is capable of moving within a prescribed range in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle. If it is judged that the host vehicle is turning to the left or to the right after it has been judged that the host vehicle has overtaken an object, the actuation timing of the collision avoidance control is advanced.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle control apparatus for performing collision avoidance control when there is a possibility of collision between a host vehicle and an object positioned within a detection region that is set in front of the host vehicle, to prevent the host vehicle from colliding with the object, the apparatus comprising:
 an object detection section for detecting objects positioned within the detection region; 
 an overtaking judgment section for judging whether the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object that is among the objects detected in the detection region and that is capable of moving within a prescribed range in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle; 
 a right turn/left turn judgment section for judging whether the host vehicle is turning right or turning left; 
 a direction change detection section for detecting a change in direction of the host vehicle when it is judged that the host vehicle is turning right or turning left; 
 an actuation change section for advancing an actuation timing of the collision avoidance control when it is judged that the host vehicle is turning right or turning left after it has been judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object, relative to the actuation timing when it is not judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object and relative to the actuation timing when it is judged that the host vehicle is not turning right or turning left after it has been judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object; and 
 a position judgment section for determining, for the object that is judged to have a possibility of collision with the host vehicle, whether the object is positioned within a specific area within the detection region, in a case where the host vehicle makes the right or left turn after the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object, the specific area being on a side of a turning direction of the host vehicle, 
 wherein: 
 the actuation change section advances the actuation timing in response to determining that the object is positioned within the specific area within the detection region; and 
 when the actuation timing is advanced by the actuation change section, the smaller the change in direction, the greater a degree of advancement of the actuation timing is made. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the overtaking judgment section detects the object that is moving in the same direction as the host vehicle, and that is at a distance from the host vehicle which is below a threshold value with respect to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle, as being the object capable of moving within a prescribed range in the vehicle width direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a measurement section for measuring an elapsed time which elapses from a point at which it is judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object until it is judged that the host vehicle is turning right or turning left, 
 wherein when the actuation timing is advanced by the actuation change section, the shorter the elapsed time, the greater a degree of advancement of the actuation timing is made. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speed difference measurement section for calculating a difference in speed between the host vehicle and the object, with respect to a travel direction of the host vehicle, 
 wherein when the actuation timing is advanced by the actuation change section, the smaller the difference in speed, the greater a degree of advancement of the actuation timing is made. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the collision avoidance control implements an alarm operation which actuates emission of an alarm sound by an alarm apparatus and implements a braking operation which actuates automatic braking by a braking apparatus, and 
 wherein in advancing the actuations of an alarm operation and a braking operation relative to the case in which it is not judged that the host vehicle is turning right or left after it has been judged that the host vehicle is turning right or left, the actuation change section advances the actuation of the alarm operation to a greater degree than the advancement of the actuation of the braking operation. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the object detection section detects the object based on images captured by an image capture unit which defines the detection region in front of the host vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a same object judgment section for determining whether the object that the host vehicle is judged to have overtaken and passed by, and the object that is judged to have a possibility of collision with the host vehicle are the same object, 
 wherein the actuation change section advances the actuation timing on condition that it is determined that the object which the host vehicle is judged to have overtaken and passed by is the same as an object judged to have a possibility of collision with the host vehicle. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the overtaking judgment section judges whether, among the detected objects, there is the object that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by, and that is recognized as being a pedestrian or a two-wheel host vehicle. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 the specific area comprises edge areas that are located along each side of the detection region with respect to the vehicle width direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the actuation timing of the collision avoidance control is advanced due to shortening a time required for performing a collision judgement by reducing a number of motion trajectory reference points used in calculating a motion trajectory of the object for the collision judgment. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle control apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein if it is judged that a collision between the host vehicle and a pedestrian is likely, the actuation timing of the collision avoidance control is advanced when a cumulative number of times the pedestrian has been detected is above a predetermined threshold value. 
 
     
     
       12. A vehicle control method of performing collision avoidance control, when there is a possibility of collision between a host vehicle and an object positioned within a detection region that is set in front of the host vehicle, for preventing the host vehicle from colliding with the object, the method comprising:
 an object detection step of detecting objects positioned within the detection region; 
 an overtaking judgment step of judging whether the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object that is among the objects detected in the detection region and that is capable of moving within a prescribed range in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle; 
 a right turn/left turn judgment step of judging whether the host vehicle is turning right or turning left; 
 a direction change detection step of detecting a change in direction of the host vehicle for a state in which the host vehicle is judged to be turning right or turning left; 
 an operation change step of advancing an actuation timing of the collision avoidance control when it is judged that the host vehicle is turning right or turning left after it has been judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object, relative to the actuation timing when it is not judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object and relative to the actuation timing when it is judged that the host vehicle is not turning or turning left after it has been judged that the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object; and 
 a position judgment step of determining, for the object that is judged to have a possibility of collision with the host vehicle, whether the object is positioned within a specific area within the detection region, in a case where the host vehicle makes the right or left turn after the host vehicle has overtaken and passed by the object, the specific area being on a side of a turning direction of the host vehicle, 
 wherein: 
 the actuation change step advances the actuation timing in response to determining that the object is positioned within the specific area within the detection region; and 
 during the operation change step in which the actuation timing is advanced, the smaller the change in direction, the greater a degree of advancement of the actuation timing is made.